They were still far from the supposed location of that damned island. The soldier couldn’t help but grumble to himself as he marched onward. Why was he like this? What need was there to throw himself into every situation that demanded action? He knew the answer, yet frustration gnawed at him all the same.

He paid little attention to the women trailing behind. Let them talk if they wished, he had no interest in idle chatter. There was a task at hand, and he intended to see it through.

His golden gaze swept across the horizon, taking in the unfamiliar peaks rising in stark contrast against the sky. Perhaps he shouldn’t have been the one leading; his time in Mythris had been short, and this terrain was foreign to him. Still, he would never admit as much. Instead, he slowed his pace slightly, allowing the two who had joined him to draw closer.

Either of you familiar with these lands? he asked at last. I’ve never traversed this area, the terrain’s foreign to me. His tail flicked in irritation, but he forced himself to remain patient.